The House of Representatives voted against retroactive immunity from lawsuits for telecoms that facilitated wiretapping or shared customer information with the federal government. Bush has promised to veto any surveillance measure that does not include such immunity.

Lawmakers have come full circle after devoting more money to high-tech voting machines following the 2000 election controversy in Florida. They now say a return to the paper trails of old is the key to an honest vote, exasperating state election officials.

Lawmakers have come full circle after devoting more money to high-tech voting machines following the 2000 election debacle in Florida. They now say a return to the paper trails of old is the key to an honest vote, exasperating state election officials.

State and local officials have begun a coordinated campaign to stop Congress from requiring a paper record of ballots cast on electronic voting machines, arguing it could cause more problems in next year's presidential election than it would solve.

Proposals designed to make voting easier and ballots more secure are beginning to advance in several states. The proposals range from allowing voters to register until Election Day to expanding the use of absentee ballots and early in-person voting.